Obscenity (in Latin, obscenus, meaning “foul, repulsive, detestable”) is a term that is most often used to describe expressions (words, phrases, images, actions) that offend. The definition of obscenity differs from culture to culture, between communities within a single culture, and also between individuals within those communities.
Many cultures have produced laws to define what is considered to be obscene or otherwise offensive, and censorship is often used to try to suppress or control materials that fall under these definitions. Various countries have different standings on the types of materials that they, as legal bodies, permit their citizens to have access to and disseminate among their local populations. These countries' permissible content vary widely, with some having extreme punishment for members who violate the restrictions. However, while accessing these types of contents may result in punishment in one society, the content may be perfectly acceptable in another